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Courtney H. Hodges
}}| }| }} }| }}} |- !colspan="2" style="background-color:#7990CC; border:1px solid #000;" |Basic Information |-style="font-size:90%" |- } | style="background-color:#7990CC; border:1px solid #000;" Born style="border:1px solid #000;" January 5, 1887 - }} } | style="background-color:#7990CC; border:1px solid #000;" style="border:1px solid #000;" Perry, Houston County, Georgia - }} } | style="background-color:#7990CC; border:1px solid #000;" Died style="border:1px solid #000;" January 16, 1966 (aged 79) -Wikipedia: }} } | style="background-color:#7990CC; border:1px solid #000;" style="border:1px solid #000;" Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas - }} } | style="background-color:#7990CC; border:1px solid #000;" Cause/death style="border:1px solid #000;" Natural Causes - }} } | style="background-color:#7990CC; border:1px solid #000;" Buried at style="border:1px solid #000;" Arlington National Cemetery - }} } | style="background-color:#7990CC; border:1px solid #000;" Spouse style="border:1px solid #000;" Mildred Lee Buchner (1895 - 1991) - }} } | style="background-color:#7990CC; border:1px solid #000;" Nickname style="border:1px solid #000;" Court - }} !colspan="2" style="background-color:#7990CC; border:1px solid #000;" |Military Information |-style="font-size:90%" |- } | style="background-color:#7990CC; border:1px solid #000;" Allegiance style="border:1px solid #000;" United States - }} } | style="background-color:#7990CC; border:1px solid #000;" branch style="border:1px solid #000;" United States Army - }} } | style="background-color:#7990CC; border:1px solid #000;" Years of Service style="border:1px solid #000;" 1906 - 1949 (46 years) - }} } | style="background-color:#7990CC; border:1px solid #000;" Rank style="border:1px solid #000;" General - }} |} Courtney Hicks Hodges, USA (January 5, 1887 – January 16, 1966) Short Biography Hodges was born in Perry, Georgia where his father, John Hodges, was the local newspaper proprietor. Throughout his early life, Hodges was always fascinated about being a soldier, going as far to re-enact Spanish-American War battles with his friends. A local decedent of the Swamp Fox, Francis Marion, would regal Hodges in stories of him. After graduating from the local high school, he attended North Georgia Agricultural College. After a few years there, Hodges received an appointment from Representative Elijah B. Lewis to the United States Military Academy. He flunked out after a year due to difficulty in Mathematics and possibly due to hazing. Moving back to his hometown, Hodges began to work at the local general store. He left to enlist in the Army almost a year later. In 1909, he finally received a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant. Following a slow promotion in the regular army, he joined the punitive Expedition into Mexico under General Pershing. Following those exploits, he then joined American Expeditionary Force, also led by Pershing. He served with distinction in France during the Meuse-Argonne and Saint Mihiel offensives and received the Distinguished Service Cross and Silver Star. Following his return to the United States, he served in various service schools along with a slow promotion progress in the regular army. in the 1920s, Hodges served as and Instructor in Various schools, such as the United States Military Academy, (being one of the first non-graduate to teach) and The Infantry School. in 1938, he became the assistant commandant of the Infantry School, then in 1941, full commandant. Only after several months serving in that position did he get a promotion as Chief of Infantry. In 1942, he was given command of the US X Corps, along with the Replacement and School Command. Given command of the Third US Army almost a year later. Then, in 1944, Hodges became deputy commander of Firs US Army, under one of his old pupils, General Omar N. Bradley. Following Bradley's promotion to Army Group, Hodges was given command of First Army, which he held even after the war. His long and distinguished career came to close when in 1948, he retired due to mandatory requirements. Military Career Military & Civilian Schools *Representative Elijah B. Lewis, of Georgia's 3rd District, appointed Hodges to the USMA Dates of Rank Regular Army National Army / Army of the United States Awards & Decorations |valign="top" | |} *3rd place, A.E.F. Rifle Competition in Le Mans, France (1919) *Gold Medal, Atlantic Division Rifle Competition *Silver Medal, Army Rifle Competition *Distinguished Marksman Badge *Rapid Fire Medal, National Individual Match Family *''Wife: Mildred Lee Buchner (1895-1991) *Father: John H. Hodges (1851-1926) *Mother: Katherine V. Norwood *Brother: John H. Hodges Jr. **Wife: Ruby Hodges *Brother: Sam N. Hodges **Son: Sam N. Hodges Jr. *Sister: Mrs. T. L. Hendrix *Sister: Ethel Hodges *Sister: Teresa Hodges *Sister: Mrs. Edna Mason *Sister: Mrs. Sam P. Houser *Paternal Uncle: Fred S. Hodges *Paternal Aunt: Mrs. O.G. Conner Battles/Wars '''Mexican Expedition' *Punitive Expedition (3/15/1916-1/8/1917) World War I *Annould Sector *St. Die Sector *Meuse-Argonne Offensive *Battle of Saint-Mihiel *Battle of Lorraine (1918) *Occupation of Germany (Trieve, Germany, 12/1/1918-3/9/1919) World War II *Battle of Normandy *Battle of Hurtgen Forest *Battle of Aachen *Battle of the Bulge *Falaise pocket *Capture of the Rhineland *Ruhr Pocket *Invasion of Germany *Surrender of Germany *Surrender of Japan Quotes General Omar Bradley: "I had implicit faith in his judgement, in his skill and restraint." General Omar Bradley: "Out of all my Army commanders, he required the least supervision." General Walter B. Smith: "Hodges was the weakest commander we had." General Dwight D. Eisenhower: ..Hodges was "the quiet reticent type, and doesn't appear as aggressive as he really is. Unless he becomes exhausted, he will alwas wage a good fight." General Dwight D. Eisenhower: ...that Hodges "is exactly the same class of man as Bradley, in practically every respect. wonderful shot, great hunter, quiet, self-effacing...with a thorough understanding of ground fighting." Notes *Married his wife, Mildred, on June 23, 1928 *Hodges was 175cm tall, with dark brown hair (grey with age), and blue eyes *Was a Democrat, Methodist, and a Freemason *Hodges suffered from abscessed teeth. For this, he had to get dentures when he was only 35. *A member of the Phi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. *Throughout WWII, he sacked ten division and two corps commanders. *Hodges refused two Purple Hearts for being gassed during WWI (referring to the injuries as being 'sissy'). *As Chief of Infantry, Hodges promoted the adoption of the Bazooka, the M-1 Carbine, and the use of Airborne troops. *''General Courtney Hodges Blvd, Perry, Georgia'' is names after him. Gallery Courtney H. Hodges Image Gallery References *Normandy to victory: the war diary of General Courtney H. Hodges and the First U.S. Army (American Warriors Series) *Courtney Hicks Hodges: From Private to Four-star General in the United (Stephan T. Wishnevsky) *Official Register for the U.S. Army